Hollow decorative container

ABSTRACT

A decorative container includes a hollow avian egg. The decorative container has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surface and the exterior surfaces define a cavity within the egg. The cavity contains a placed object, and the exterior surface of the egg includes ornamentation

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to decorative packaging for a gift thatmust be damaged and sacrificed to access the gift contained therein.More particularly, the invention relates to a decorated gift container,typically in the shape of an egg, that contains a gift or message for arecipient. To access the gift, the recipient must break open thecontainer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many occasions where it is desirable to provide a gift to afriend, a family member, a business associate, a service provider, orsome other individual. The occasions for gift-giving range from specialoccasions such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and holidays, togiving a gift to show that the recipient is simply in the giver'sthoughts. In a particular gift-giving occasion, the gift-giver maydecide to give money as a gift or may simply want to send a specialmessage to the recipient.

Regardless of the occasion, the gift-giver may also desire to providepackaging for the gift or message that is special or has particularsignificance to the recipient. A greeting card is often used to conveythe message or money gift, however, the gift-giver may desire to providemore unusual packaging.

Providing gifts or messages in unusual containers is known in the art.For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,919 entitled “Method of Filling aBalloon with Articles and Air” to Oyler discloses a method of filling aballoon with articles and air. The article or articles can be gifts andthe recipient either unties the balloon or bursts the balloon to accessthe articles inside. U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,915 entitled “Bursting BalloonWhich Embodies Toys and Related Items” to Boris et al. also discloses amethod of filling a balloon with items and air and then sealing theballoon. The balloon is then pierced or punctured, causing the balloonto explode and empty its contents.

Yet another unusual method of conveying a message or gift token isthrough the use of a candle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,640 discloses a candlecontaining a fireproof, leak proof container which, in turn, may containa personalized message, a fortune, a prize token, or other such item.The prize/message container is hidden in the candle and becomes visibleas the candle is consumed. Alternatively, the candle may contain afireproof strip containing a message, which is revealed as the candle isconsumed.

Christmas ornaments have also been used as a means of conveying a smallgift, message, fortune, or words of wisdom. U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,993entitled “Disposable Paper Fortune Ornament” to Ampomah discloses apaper, cardboard or other sheet material ornament consisting of twohalves that are joined together. Prior to joining the two halves, thedesired items such as a fortune, a message, a good luck penny or othersuch items are placed on one half of the ornament. The other half of theornament is glued along the edges to the first half of the ornament,with the ends of a looped piece of cord or string resting on the gluein-between the two halves, to provide a way to hang the ornament. Toobtain the message or other item inside, the recipient must tear openthe ornament.

Further, other hollow containers have been used to provide gifts to arecipient. U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,605 entitled “Hollow, Decorative ObjectContaining Novelties” to DeLamar discloses a hollow clay decorated formsuch as an egg or cube that contains small gifts inside. To access thegifts, a knife may be used to cut away a portion of the form, preferablyon the bottom of the form. Hence, the gifts can be accessed and thecontainer can be displayed virtually intact.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,404 entitled “Coated Container” to Melashenko et al.discloses a hollow container that is coated, such that the coating canaccept a nontoxic dye. The hollow container may come in two parts, suchthat a gift may be placed in the container. The container can then becoated, thus sealing the container and providing a dyeable containerexterior. U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,985 entitled “Hollow Breakable ObjectHaving a Breakable Dye Absorptive Coating” to Nicholson discloses ahollow breakable object having two shell sections encapsulating anovelty item or gift. The two sections of the container are affixed andthen the container is coated, to form a breakable and dye absorptivesurface on the container.

Arguably the best-known method of providing words of wisdom or a fortunein a disposable container is the fortune cookie, wherein a message orfortune is placed inside a cookie. To read the message the cookietypically must be broken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an article that contains a message, fortune,small article or paper money, to be given as a gift. The article must bebroken for the recipient to obtain the item contained in the article. Inone embodiment, the article is made of an eggshell. A gift is placedinside the eggshell and the eggshell is sealed. The exterior of theeggshell can be decorated to fit the particular gift-giving occasion, ifdesired. For example, the eggshell can be decorated as a groom, a bride,a Christmas ornament, a present or the like. Additionally, the eggshellcan be decorated in a way that is meaningful to the recipient, such as afootball, fish, graduate, and the like.

When a real egg is used as the packaging, the egg yolk and egg white(albumin) are removed from the egg and the egg is sanitized anddecorated. The consumer can place paper money, a fortune, a message or asmall article such as a gemstone, in the intact hollow egg and seal theegg. The egg is then ready to be presented as a gift. Alternatively, thedecorated hollow egg can be purchased already containing a certainamount of paper money, a message, fortune or a small article.

An alternative to using real eggs is to use a moldable material tocreate the egg shape or some other shape. The material can be moldedinto various shapes, keeps its shape, and is crushable so that the giftinside can be accessed, but does not present a safety hazard to therecipient crushing the shape. Materials used to prepare the shapeinclude paper mache, plaster of Paris, wax, clay, resins and the like.

The shape is molded with a small aperture in the shape to accommodateinsertion of a gift. Alternatively, dependent upon the material used, anaperture is cut into a surface of the shape, to accommodate insertion ofa gift. The shape is decorated and a gift is inserted into the shape. Anattached tab is placed over the aperture, permanently sealing theopening, and the filled shape is ready to be given as a gift.

The invention provides a unique and memorable alternative to packaging asmall gift or message. For example, instead of inserting the gift itemin a greeting card, the gift can be inserted into the decorated hollowreal egg or alternatively shaped container, and be presented to therecipient. As such, the container appears to become part of the gift,not simply a means of conveying the gift held inside the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sampling of egg-shaped gift containers ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an egg container of the invention,wherein a gift is present in the container.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a hollow egg container kit.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the tab for an egg container.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a molded egg-shaped container witha gift contained therein.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a tab for a molded container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the invention is directed to container 10 that, invarious embodiments, is designed for containing a small item such aspaper money, a fortune, a message or some other small item such as ajewel or coin. Typically, the item inside the container will be a gift.Gift container 10 is an integral part of the overall gift presented tothe recipient. FIG. 1 shows examples of one embodiment of finished giftcontainers 10. Here, the gift containers 10 are all egg-shaped, howevergift container 10 may be made from moldable materials and be configuredinto a variety of more complex shapes of various sizes.

In one embodiment, the container of the invention may be constructedusing real hollow eggs. Referring to FIG. 2, egg 20 is cleaned utilizingcleaning and/or sanitizing materials such as anti-bacterial soaps,bleach, bleach solutions and the like. An aperture may be formed in theeggshell by removing or “punching-out” a section of the eggshell. Apointed instrument, such as a needle or the like, may be used to createthe aperture in the eggshell. An aperture 26 may be formed in thenarrower end of the egg and aperture 27 may be formed opposite along thelongitudinal axis 31 of the egg 20. The egg yolk and the egg white(albumin) are removed from egg 20, leaving a hollow egg 20. Pressure maybe used to remove or force the egg yolk and egg white (albumin) out ofthe eggshell. For example, suction may be used to remove the egg yolkand egg white (albumin) or, alternatively, positive pressure may be usedto force the egg yolk and egg white (albumin) out of the eggshell.Hollow egg 20 may be sterilized using a sanitizing solution such as ableach solution or the like.

Once hollow egg 20 is sanitized, one of apertures 26, 27 of hollow egg20 may be sealed. Aperture 26 can be sealed using a number of differentmaterials such as mesh and Spackle, an adhesive sealant, wax and thelike. Alternatively, aperture 27 can be sealed first. The sealed areacan be sanded if necessary, to provide for a smoother, more even surfacefor decorating and one that is more appealing to the eye and touch.

After hollow egg 20 is sanitized and aperture 26 is sealed and allowedto dry or set, the exterior of hollow egg 20 may be decorated. Themethod of decoration can include paint, glitter, stickers and the like.Typically, the exterior of hollow egg 20 is painted and the painteddesigns can be tailored for particular gift-giving occasions. Forexample, hollow egg 20 can be decorated to represent a bride and groom,a Christmas ornament, a birthday cake, a pumpkin, a ghost, a graduateand the like. In addition, hollow egg 20 can be decorated such that itrepresents an item of particular significance to the gift recipient,such as a football, dog, cat or other animal, flag, coffee mug, and thelike.

Once the exterior of hollow egg 20 is decorated, the gift item 30 may beinserted into hollow egg 20 through second aperture 27. Typically, giftitem 30 is paper money, a note or message, a fortune, or some othersmall item such as a coin or a gemstone. Remaining open aperture 27 isthen sealed, similarly to first aperture 26. The areas proximateapertures 26, 27 are decorated to blend into the decoration of the restof hollow egg 20.

Referring now to FIG. 3, hollow egg container 20 can be provided to theconsumer in its final form, decorated and filled, or hollow egg 20 canbe provided in a kit form. Kit 36 contains decorated hollow egg 20, withone aperture 26 sealed. The consumer can then place their gift insidehollow egg 20 and seal the hollow egg container 20 with material 40provided in kit 36. Then the area around second aperture 27 can bedecorated with supplies 42 provided in kit 36, to blend into previouslydecorated hollow egg 20.

Alternatively, and referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, hollow egg 20 may have anattached tab 28 that is designed to fit over second aperture 27. Tab 28comes decorated in the same style as hollow egg container 20, such thatwhen tab 28 is affixed over aperture 27, tab 28 blends into the rest ofhollow egg container 20. An underside of tab 28 may be coated with apermanent pressure sensitive adhesive 29, with a release liner (notshown) covering the adhesive surface. When ready to seal hollow eggcontainer 20, the release liner is removed from tab 28 and tab 28 ispressed over second aperture 27.

In another embodiment, gift container 50 can take on an egg-shape orother shape. In any case, gift container 50 is a molded product ofmanufacture. Egg-shaped container 50 is used in the following example,however the container is not limited to the egg-shape, as a variety ofshapes and sizes are contemplated. For example, the container can takeon a geometric shape, an animal shape, figure of a person, officearticle shapes and so on. The process of molding the shape of giftcontainer 50 provides the opportunity for more complex gift containershapes.

Similar to the previous embodiment wherein a real eggshell is used, giftcontainer 50 of this embodiment of the invention is also hollow. Asabove, an egg-shaped container 50 is used as an example of anotherembodiment of the invention. Sealed egg-shaped container 50 is breakableso that gift or message 30 inside can be accessed. Gift item 30 isplaced into molded egg-shaped container 50 through a small aperture inthe container and then sealed. Consequently, the size of gift item 30 issomewhat limited. Typical gift items are paper money, coin, messages,fortunes, gems, pearls, a horoscope, tokens, theater tickets, and thelike. To make opening of the egg-shaped container 50 even more festive,confetti and/or glitter can be added to the interior, to spill out uponopening of the egg-shaped container 50.

The hollow container 50 is produced by molding material into anegg-shape. The walls of the egg-shaped container 50 are relatively thinsuch that the walls can retain gift item 30 placed inside the container50, but are thin enough to be broken somewhat easily, to gain access toitem(s) 30 in the interior of container 50. Materials that may be usedin making the egg-shaped container 50 include clay, paper mache,Styrofoam, resin, plaster-of-Paris, wax and the like. If clay is used toproduce hollow egg-shaped container 50, then the clay is fired, suchthat the consistency of the finished container 50 is somewhat brittle sothat it can be broken open somewhat easily. The other above-mentionedmaterials, and similar materials, tend to form a hard, but breakablesurface, such that access to gift item(s) 30 can be obtained.

Egg-shaped container 50, once formed and processed as required by thematerial being used, may be decorated. Typical decoration isaccomplished by painting the surface of container 50. Egg-shapedcontainer 50 can be painted to acknowledge a special occasion such as abirthday, graduation wedding, anniversary or a holiday such asChristmas, Halloween, Easter, or the Fourth of July.

The decorations can include egg-shaped container 50 painted like atuxedo, a wedding gown, a graduate's robes, a Christmas ornament, apumpkin, a flag, and so on. Egg-shaped container 50 can also be paintedto represent myriad items such as a football, a boat, an animal, alandmark, and so on. One of these designs may have special meaning tothe recipient, and thus be chosen as the gift container. In addition topainting egg-shaped container 50, other decorative materials can be usedsuch as glitter, stickers, and the like.

During the molding process, an aperture 32 providing access to theinterior of container 50 can be fashioned in the wall of egg-shapedcontainer 50. The mold can be fashioned to provide such an aperture.Alternatively, dependent upon the material used in making egg-shapedcontainer 50 and its subsequent brittleness, aperture 32 can be cut intoa wall of egg-shaped container 50. It is through aperture 32 that theconsumer can place gift item 30 into egg-shaped container 50.

Once gift item 30 is placed in egg-shaped container 50, container 50 maybe sealed such that access to item(s) 30 in container 50 can only beobtained by breaking open container 50. Egg-shaped container 50 mayinclude a tab 33 on the exterior of container 50 near aperture 32. Tab33 can vary in shape, size and location on egg-shaped container 50. Tab33 is already decorated in keeping with the decoration of the entireegg-shaped container 50.

Further, tab 33 may be made of flexible material, such as a thin plasticor the like, and may be coated with a permanent pressure sensitivematerial 34 such as a pressure sensitive adhesive. Permanent pressuresensitive adhesive 34 is covered with a release liner (not shown) thatis peeled away when egg-shaped container 50 is ready to be sealed. Oncethe release liner is peeled away, tab 33 is affixed over aperture 32 inthe egg-shaped container 50 wall. Tab 33 may not be removable fromaperture 32 without damaging egg-shaped container 50.

As noted previously, other shapes and sizes of hollow gift containersare contemplated. Hence, the size and location of the aperture(s)providing access to the interior of the hollow gift container can alsovary in size, shape and location on the container.

It is understood that this invention is not intended to be undulylimited by the illustrative embodiments and examples set forth hereinand that such examples and embodiments are presented by way of exampleonly.

1. A decorative container comprising: a hollow avian egg comprising aninterior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface defininga cavity within the egg, the cavity containing a placed object; and theexterior surface of the egg comprising ornamentation.
 2. The decorativecontainer of claim 1, further comprising at least one orifice in theexterior surface, wherein the placed object is placed in the cavitythrough the orifice.
 3. The decorative container of claim 1, wherein theplaced object is selected from the group consisting of paper money,coins, gems, pearls, notes, slogans, mottos, fortunes, and horoscopes.4. The decorative container of claim 1, wherein the container is sealed.5. The decorative container of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface isbroken to gain access to the placed object in the cavity of the egg. 6.A decorative gift container comprising: a hollow form comprising aninterior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the exterior surfaceof the form comprises ornamentation; wherein the interior surfacedefines a cavity within the form and the cavity contains a placedobject, and wherein the hollow form is sealed.
 7. The decorative giftcontainer of claim 6, wherein the exterior surface is broken to gainaccess to the placed object in the interior cavity of the hollow form.8. The decorative gift container of claim 6, wherein the ornamentationon the exterior surface of the hollow form comprises material selectedfrom the group consisting of paint, stickers, glitter, clay, fabric,markers and paper.
 9. The decorative gift container of claim 6, whereinthe hollow form is made of material selected from the group consistingof paper mache, plaster of Paris, wax, clay, wood and resin.
 10. Thedecorative gift container of claim 6, wherein the gift container issealed.
 11. A decorative container kit comprising: a hollow formcomprising an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interiorsurface defining a cavity within the hollow form, the exterior surfaceof the hollow form containing at least one orifice; and a closure. 12.The decorative container kit of claim 11, wherein the hollow form cavityis adapted to receive an object through the orifice.
 13. The decorativecontainer kit of claim 11, wherein the closure is adapted to cover theorifice and seal the hollow form.
 14. The decorative container kit ofclaim 13, wherein the closure forms a permanent seal on the exteriorsurface of the hollow form.
 15. The decorative container kit of claim13, wherein the closure is selected from the group consisting of a plug,adhesive, spackle, wax, plaster of Paris, paper mache, clay, tape andpaper.
 16. The decorative container kit of claim 11, wherein the hollowform is made from material selected from the group consisting of papermache, plaster of Paris, wax, clay, wood, and resin.
 17. The decorativecontainer kit of claim 11, wherein the kit comprises ornamentationmaterials.
 18. The decorative container kit of claim 11, wherein thehollow form is a hollow avian egg.
 19. The decorative container kit ofclaim 11, wherein the exterior surface of the hollow form comprisesornamentation.
 20. The decorative container kit of claim 11, wherein theexterior surface of the hollow form is broken to gain access to theplaced object in the cavity of the hollow form.